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Clan handles Montana State University Billings in GNAC home opener before dominating Saint Martin’s University

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Peak Web
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Mamadi Camara had three goals and one assist this week. (Photo courtesy of SFU Athletics)

By: Victor Gouchee and Andrew Ringer

The number three nationally ranked SFU Clan men’s soccer team began their 2018 GNAC season Thursday night on top of Burnaby Mountain. This was the Clan’s first home game of the season, and although the weather was full of rain, it was a warm welcome home for the boys who returned from two lengthy trips south, which they walked away from with a perfect 6–0–0 record.

A notable absence from Thursday night was that of the Clan’s captain midfielder Marcello Polisi, who missed the contest due to a red card suspension he received in their last road game.

A big loss on paper, SFU would not miss Polisi on the field as they got off to a flying start when Montana State University Billings star forward Ricardo Palomino got sent off for a retaliation kick on Clan defender Eric De Graaf. Just seven minutes in, the red card to MSUB proved to be a turning point — just two minutes later, sophomore winger Connor Glennon flew down the right side, beat a defender, and drew out the goalkeeper before delivering a perfect pass square to senior forward Mamadi Camara. Camara had the easy job of tapping the ball into the open net.

Just seconds later, SFU would again use the numerical advantage to their benefit when junior midfielder Rahid Rahiem, who came in to replace the suspended Marcello, danced around in the opponent’s 18-yard box and eventually got hacked down to draw a penalty. Of course, sophomore Matteo Polisi stepped up and confidently smashed the ball to the opposite side of the MSUB keeper to double the Clan’s lead.

SFU would continue to dominate possession high up the field, eagerly searching for a third marker. Eventually, senior forward Dzenan Bezdrob found a pass from Camara and Bezdrob ran with it, blowing by a MSUB defender and then smashing it high above the yellowjackets’ goalkeeper who had come out to cut down the angle. Now 3–0, the Clan would conservatively keep possession away from their own goal and look to see out the first half.

When the second half got underway, nothing had changed from the first half. SFU continued to dominate possession while the Yellowjackets remained a tight block on top of their own box. In what would go on to be a less eventful half than the beginning of the game, the Clan continued to have chances but were unable to capitalize. Polisi had the chance to extend SFU’s lead on a free-kick just outside of the 18-yard box. His curling effort was a good one which froze MSUB’s goalkeeper, but unfortunately, the ball hit the post and went wide.

Montana State would not muster any chances of their own in the second half, which left Clan goalkeeper Luciano Trasolini with very little to do on a cold and rainy night on Terry Fox Field. SFU were able to land one more knockout blow upon their GNAC opponents before the final whistle when a scramble in the box occured: the ball popped out to junior midfielder Quinn Dawson on the top of the box, who smashed the ball first time into the top-right corner of the Yellowjackets goal. Leaving no chance for the goalkeeper, this goal alone summed up the night for the visitors.

SFU was just too much for MSUB, and the early red card to MSUB’s star forward did not help their cause. The Clan would go on to secure the 4–0 win, bringing them to a perfect 7–0–0 this season, and 1–0–0 to start off their GNAC campaign.

Peak player of the game: Mamadi Camara

Camara came up huge in the SFU men’s soccer team’s GNAC season opener. He finished off a Connor Glennon cross for the first (and winning) goal in the ninth minute, before setting up Dzenan Bezdrob for the third goal of the game in the 18th minute. Camara has moved to the striker position this season after spending last year predominantly as a left-midfielder, and performances like this are the reason why.

Saturday vs. Saint Martin’s University

It was more of the same on Saturday, as the Clan dominated the Saint Martin’s University when they travelled down to Lacey, Washington. The Saints had no answer for the forward trio of Connor Glennon, Matteo Polisi, and Mamadi Camara, and all three had two goals in the contest.

The Clan took a 2–1 lead into halftime before exploding in the second half for four more goals. The game really could not have gone much better. One of the highlights was Polisi’s second goal, where he scored on a perfect free kick from just outside the both in the 67th minute.

Camara and Polisi both ended with two goals, while Glennon had two goals as well as two assists. Rahid Rahiem, Michael North, and Marcello Polisi all had assists in the contest as well.

Matteo Polisi now leads the Clan with nine goals, followed closely by Camara with eight and Glennon with seven.

With the win the Clan are now 8–0–0 on the season and 2–0–0 in GNAC play.

Peak player of the game: Connor Glennon/Mamadi Camara/Matteo Polisi

While Glennon had the two extra assists, it wouldn’t be right to not name all three players as the players of the game. The three worked together beautifully, and are in line for a lot of goals this season.

What’s next:

The Clan will host Concordia University on Thursday, September 27. They will be looking to extend their winning streak to nine games. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

SFU Volleyball fall to Alaska Anchorage 3–1, before bouncing back against University of Alaska

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Peak Web
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The Clan got a much needed win on Saturday. (Photo courtesy of SFU Athletics)

On Thursday, September 20, the SFU volleyball team hosted Alaska Anchorage in an important GNAC matchup at the beginning of the season. After a strong first set, however, the Clan were unable to win another set, and eventually fell three sets to one.

Tessa May came up huge in the first set, totalling four kills in the set. At the end of the set, Bianca Te came in and got a service ace right along the back line of Alaska Anchorage to end the set with a score of 25–13. At this point, things were looking good.

Everything changed, however, starting in the first set. After a dominant first set, the Clan couldn’t get anything going, especially struggling offensively. Alaska Anchorage would eventually run away with the set by a score of 25–17.

“Anchorage definitely started to play better after the first set and we lost our rhythm offensively, we didn’t find enough ways to score. They started to block and dig better and we weren’t able to find an answer,” said head coach Gina Schmidt in a post-game interview with The Peak.

The final two sets were more of the same, as Alaska Anchorage won them by scores of 25–19 and 25–21. In the fourth and final set SFU started off strong with a 16–8 lead, but were unable to keep their hot start going.

This isn’t the first time that the Clan have lost a game after winning the first set. When asked about this after the game, this is what Schmidt had to say:

“It’s always something that we want to address and get better at. We’re still trying to find the solutions in those times and still working on that.”

SFU is expected to be one of the top teams in the GNAC, and should get back to winning form soon. Their struggles this season have had to do with offence against bigger teams, as Schmidt explained.

“Where we’ve run into trouble is against teams with bigger blocks and we have to do a better job of finding ways to work around them, or use the block, or our coverage has to be better.”

Hopefully the early-season struggles end soon, as this is what cost the team a playoff berth last season. The team is now 2–3 in GNAC play this season.

Peak player of the game: Tessa May

While most of the team struggled in this one, May put in a solid performance. She led the team in kills (11), serving aces (2), solo blocks (1), and total points (14.5).

Saturday vs. University of Alaska

After a tough loss on Thursday, the Clan got a much-needed victory on Saturday. While everything seemed to go wrong after the first set against Alaska Anchorage, SFU played a consistent three sets of volleyball against the University of Alaska, somewhat making up for the disappointing play in their previous game.

The first set was won 25–13, and a big reason why was Kirsten Pinkney. She had five kills in the set, and was unmatched by any of her opponents, evidenced by her .714 hitting percentage in the set. The University of Alaska was unable to gain any momentum, and the Clan made their presence felt.

Similarly, the second set was won 25–13. It was good to see SFU come out with two strong sets to start the match, as they were unable to carry over the momentum of a 25–13 first set win in Thursday’s match.

The Clan went on to wrap the game up in style in the third set, winning it 25–12. University of Alaska simply had no answer for them all night.

While SFU struggled against blocking in Thursday’s game, this was not the case on Saturday. The Clan had a combined 45 kills in the game on a .458 kill percentage — simply dominant.

Peak player of the game: Kirsten Pinkney

Pinkney led the game with 13 kills on an unbelievable .765 kill percentage. No University of Alaska player was able to match her at the net, and she dominated the game whenever given the chance.

What’s next:

The Clan will host Western Washington University in the “Red Night Carnival” game on Tuesday night. The game starts at 7 p.m.

The Predator is a thrilling action flick, despite falling prey to its flaws

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Peak Web
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Image courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

By: Jonathan Pabico

 

Get to the chopper, Predator fans! Director Shane Black’s The Predator has arrived in theatres. Having a sizable role  in the original 1987 Predator movie, Black (best known for the disappointing Iron Man 3) pays satisfying homage to this sci-fi classic through his own movie’s iconic music score and Predator costume designs. Surprisingly enough, Black delivers a worthwhile story that encompasses earth-shattering action sequences and delivers a fresh take on the Predator franchise.

       Although the film features excessive gore, the story’s action sequences still make Black’s movie thrilling to watch. The action perfectly balances with the film’s forest terrain, providing an unsettling tone for the narrative. Subsequently, the story’s action becomes a fierce foreground that, combined with sharp lighting and harsh colours, uses the Predator’s cold-hearted ruthlessness during these sequences to illustrate the film’s gripping world.

      Black uses the film’s Predators to instill social commentary about what it is like to be an outsider in the world. He frames how different these alien hunters and their culture are from human society to demonstrate how isolated and alienated the film’s human characters are from their own communities. In doing so, Black makes these characters worthy of empathy. He bravely explores personal themes in an otherwise simple action flick that evokes a deeper dimension previously absent in other Predator installments.

       The film’s energetic cast is more lighthearted than the previous ensemble from the 2010 Predators starring Adrien Brody. Despite this fresh change in tone for the film’s cast, there are only a few memorable dynamics between these actors, especially between the secondary characters. Some of their dialogue consist of vivid one-liners, offbeat backstories, and convenient exposition that detract from the film’s plot, and limits character development. Consequently, the cast are not as compatible as the actors in Predators. However, Olivia Munn (Casey Bracket) is a fierce force in her portrayal of a tenacious scientist.

      As for comic relief, the characters’ vulgar camaraderie fits their personas, but gets too inappropriate in some scenes. Although the film’s climactic bout compensates for these scenes, Shane Black and Fred Dekker’s script provides bravado that mostly seems forced. However, Black also uses a creative approach by arming the film’s main Predator with a twisted sense of humour that humanizes this inhuman creature.

      Despite issues from the film’s cast and humour, actor Jacob Tremblay (Rory McKenna) overshadows these flaws and the movie’s other characters. Tremblay’s portrayal of an autistic child conveys heartwarming innocence, and dramatic purity for a narrative filled with copious violence. His brief scenes with Boyd Holbrook (Quinn McKenna) provide a touching father-son relationship that imbues the story with its emotional weight.

      Overall, Shane Black’s The Predator is an entertaining sci-fi action flick that offers a fresh direction to a classic series. Although the graphic violence is gruesome and the shortcomings hinder the story, Black’s film delivers raw action sequences with a light-hearted cast that overall honour the Predator franchise.

SFU’s first Streetfest named a “true success”

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Peak Web
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Entertainment for the event included the SFU cheer team, a knife juggler, a climbing wall set-up, and food. (Chris Ho / The Peak)

Written by: Agnetha de Sa, Peak Associate

 

SFU held its first annual Streetfest, a collaboration between the university and UniverCity, at the Burnaby campus on September 14. “It was a true success,” commented Streetfest co-chair Mark McLaughlin following the event.

McLaughlin noted that he had received positive feedback from event attendees. ”The community had a great time [ . . . ] we had a plan B, but didn’t have to pull out the plan B because the weather held off,” he said.

McLaughlin noted that the organizing team for the Streetfest wasn’t sure what to expect from the event or for the number of attendees the event might gather, as it was the first time such an event had been held on the mountain. “It was a real surprise for folks because it was the first time we tried this event, you know, bringing the whole community on top of the mountain in one place,” he said.

McLaughlin estimated that approximately 5,000 members of the community attended the event, including students from SFU and Fraser International College (FIC) as well as SFU Childcare, children from Highland Elementary school, and families from the mountain.

“We had great entertainment [ . . . ] lots of SFU talent,” said McLaughlin, noting the SFU cheer team and a juggler who performed with fire and knives. The event also featured a climbing wall.

Over 50 exhibitors, vendors, and booths were present at the event, leading to the entire street being blocked off on campus.

“The beverage garden was busy,” McLaughlin added.  

The BC Lions, as well as the Vancouver Whitecaps attended the Streetfest. The event was also visited by Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan and NDP party leader Jagmeet Singh.

The event was organized by a committee consisting of groups from SFU such as Athletics and Recreation, Student Services, and Dining Services, as well as people from the UniverCity Community Association, UniverCity businesses, Highland Elementary School, and the SFU Childcare centre.

“Everybody participated on the organizing committee so it was a real event put on by the community for the community. We kinda took back the street for the day.” – Mark McLaughlin, SFU Streetfest co-chair 

Student volunteers from SFU were also involved in organizing and executing the event.

McLaughlin stated that the committee was currently conducting a “debrief” of the event to determine whether the SFU Streetfest would become an annual event.

He noted that this year the event was “up against the SFSS kickoff concert over at MBC and picked our date much earlier.” He hopes that in potential subsequent years, the event may involve the student society. “Maybe this could be the kickoff streetfest and kickoff concert all at the same time,” he said.

 

The best dirty talk to set the mood

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Peak Web
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Illustrated by Reslus

Written by: Hannah Davis

Hey you! Yes you! Tired of having super boring sex all the time? Tried all the conventional ways to spice things up, like straps, snacks, and an eclectic assortment of literal spices sprinkled across the bedspread? Read on, friend, and I will teach you the best dirty talk to improve every one of your mediocre sexytime rendezvous. Use these lines at any point during a special soiree, and I promise they will definitely change the pace and tone of your evening.

Tips and Lines for Foreplay

-Ask a lot of questions, almost incessantly. They can be related to what you are about to do with the person, or not related at all. Everyone knows that curiosity is an aphrodisiac.

-Make some cute nicknames for all your body parts, and then use them in sentences to reference what you want to do to your lover/what you want your lover to do to you. For example: “I want to run my fingies all over your bod bod,” “I want you to grab my boobie woobies,” and “my bum bum is yours tonight.”

-Use a foreplay technique called the burrito. Wrap yourself up tight in the sheets (burrito style) and say this to your partner: “I am the sexiest burrito in the room.” The sheets wrapped tightly around your entire body will add an aura of mystery to your pre-sex adventures, and will only make your lover want to see what’s underneath. To make things hotter, cover your naked body in actual burrito toppings for when your partner unwraps you. Nothing is sexier than body-temperature cheese and beans. While they unwrap you softly chant: “I’m a sexy, sexy snack.”

Tips and Lines for During Sex

-Does your partner love to feel “dirty” and “bad” when having sex? Try talking about some generally dirty things, like stray animals and hospital floors. You could even compare your partner to any of these nasty things you bring up, to make them feel extra gross in a truly sexy way. Comments such as “You’re so dirty, your hair feels greasy” are always a welcome addition.

-Rhyming is a real turn-on for everyone, even if they do not know it. Everytime your partner says something like “yes,” or “keep going” just respond with “chess,” and “jeep towing.”

-“I am hungrier for you than that seagull I saw earlier was for the dead fish it was fighting another seagull for.”

-Freestyle rap the whole time.

-Sing “Yo, Ho! Yo, Ho! A Pirate’s Life for Me” from beginning to end.

Tips and Lines for After Sex

The dirty talk doesn’t even have to stop when the hot, steamy sex is over. Try these lines:

-“Hey baby, want to join me in the shower? I don’t want to get a UTI so I am going to rinse off down there. At the same time, I will also be enjoying some cranberry juice.”

-“That sex was so good I can’t even remember your name.”

-Talk about how you can’t wait to tell your family about your encounter. People love knowing that their sex was appreciated and enjoyed by the other party. What better way to show them you enjoyed yourself than by running home to tell your family about it?

-“That’s all, folks!”

In conclusion, may you find love and get some ass, all thanks to these sexy lines for your sexytimes.

World News Beats

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Peak Web
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Written by: Nathaniel Tok, Peak Associate

 

Airport in Libya shuts down due to rocket fire

In Tripoli, Libya, the city’s sole airport, Matiga airport, closed again amidst rocket fire less than a week after it reopened. The rocket fire did not harm anyone or damage aircrafts.

The attack demonstrated the divide among the opposing factions in the city. Rival groups have attacked the capital as it is a source of funds and business.

Following the bombing, the Matiga airport has transferred all its flights to the city of Misrata’s airport.

Prime Minister Fayez Seraj had noted that the “instability in the streets” is hindering the country’s ability to hold elections.

With files from Reuters.

 

Former Brazilian president pulls out of latest presidential election

Former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who appeared to be winning the Brazilian presidential race set to be held in October, has pulled out. Now his Workers’ Party will support Fernando Haddad, Lula’s running mate, as their presidential candidate.

Lula announced his decision from his detention cell with a letter. The Brazilian Superior Electoral Court had ruled earlier that Lula was “ineligible” to run due to corruption charges, leading to his incarceration. Lula has denied all such charges.

Lula was the presidential race’s front runner as future voters recalled how Lula saw Brazil through a period of economic growth during which Lula’s government helped many to escape poverty.

With files from BBC News and Reuters.

 

Spanish government votes on what to do with Franco’s remains

The Spanish Parliament has approved the exhumation of Francisco Franco’s body from the Valley of the Fallen Spanish Civil War monument. The vote passed with 176 in favor, two against, and 165 abstaining.

This decision has split the country’s people. Franco’s surviving family is petitioning against the decision, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had made it one of his first acts in June when he became Prime Minister. Sanchez hopes the exhumation will “redress the rights of the victims of Francoism.”

Around 500,000 people died in the Spanish Civil war, which saw Franco gain control of Spain until 1975.

With files from Reuters and El Pais English.

 

Indonesia declares health emergency on the Island of Lombok

On the island of Lombok in Indonesia, tests have shown rising malaria infection rates after earthquakes in July and August.

Following the earthquakes which destroyed their homes, many residents were living in tents, becoming susceptible to infection. At least 128 people are currently believed to have been infected.

The local government has called on the regional and central government for mosquito nets as a preventative measure, and for help with testing and emergency services. Government officials are worried about what will happen during the imminent rainy season, as malaria mosquitoes breed more easily in wet environments.

With files from Reuters and Channel News Asia.

 

Vancouver records multiple measles cases

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Peak Web
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(Valentin Flauraud/Reuters)

Written by: Srijani Datta, Assistant News Editor

 

Health officials from Vancouver are urging individuals across the city and its surrounding areas to update their measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination doses, after reported cases of measles have gone up in Vancouver.

Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) released a public health bulletin after an individual who attended Skookum Festival at Stanley Park on September 8 had been identified to be suffering from measles.  The individual is also identified to have used public transit, attended a community block party, and visited various other locations, between September 8 and 11, where he may have exposed others to the highly infectious disease.

Individuals may have been exposed to this disease on Saturday, September 8 when the individual had attended the Skookum Festival at Stanley Park between 5 pm to 1 am. The affected individual had also taken the Aquabus from Olympic Village to Hornby Street on the same day at approximately 3pm, and the Canada Line SkyTrain from Vancouver City Centre to Broadway-City Hall Station earlier in the day between 11pm to 1am.

Those who have visited the the Outdoor Community Block Party at 1188 Quebec Street, between 1 pm to 3 pm, on Sunday September 9, could have also been exposed to the infection by this individual. Additionally, on Sunday the individual had also used the Main Street bus from Terminal Station to Broadway between 3 pm to 5 pm. Furthermore, residents near Noodlebox Mount Pleasant on 2511 Main Street in Vancouver from 12pm to 6pm, on the same day may have been exposed to the disease.

The Peak reached out to Tammy Nazaruk, Associate Director of SFU Health Services,regarding any reported cases on SFU campuses. Nazaruk told The Peak that “currently, we are unaware of any measles cases at SFU. Our clinic is prepared to manage anyone presenting with suspect measles.”

Nazaruk further added that If any student  has been exposed to measles or have a fever and rash, they should call the SFU clinic ahead when seeking medical care, following which the clinic can then prepare for the affected student’s visit, having taking precautions to reduce exposure to others.

Measles is a highly infectious and communicable disease that spreads through air. VCH stressed that, for full immunization, an individual needs two shots of the measles vaccine. Anyone who was present in the aforementioned areas at the specified date and time and has never received two shots of the vaccine, or has not been immunized by having the disease before, should check in with their doctor immediately, stated VCH.

In case of possible exposure between September 8 and 11, an unimmunized individual is projected to develop symptoms between September 15 and 29.

“If you were born before Jan. 1, 1970, you are likely to be immune. If you were born between 1970 and 1994, or grew up outside of B.C., you may have received only one dose of the MMR vaccine and require a second dose to be fully protected.” – Vancouver Coastal Health

Vancouver has been recording repeated alerts about potential measles exposure over the last month at locations including BC Ferries sailing, an outdoor community pool in New Westminster, the Vancouver International Airport, and Maple Ridge Secondary School.

 

With Files from The Vancouver Sun.

SFU Quidditch offers an untraditional athletic outlet for SFU students

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Peak Web
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SFU Quidditch performing the "Brooms Up" routine to start a game at the National Championships in 2017. (Photo courtesy of Jessyka Schwandt)

By: Amal Javed Abdullah

What do you do during these first few weeks of school when you’re slightly affronted that you still haven’t received your Hogwarts letter? You play quidditch.

SFU Quidditch, an SFU sports team that has been around for five years, is “a very dumb game that we all love playing,” for “people [who] appreciate running around on a broom for fun,” says Nathan Ross, long-time member and president of the team.

The official game differs from the one in the books by J. K. Rowling in a number of respects, the most obvious difference being that players don’t fly! Instead, they run around with brooms between their legs, which also adds to the competition during the game – if a player dismounts at any point, they must run back and touch their respective hoops.

Similar to the books, there are three Chasers on the team who have to score a point by getting a Quaffle into the hoop; meanwhile, two Beaters run around to try to dismount players from their brooms; the seeker has to catch the Golden Snitch, which, seen as a small flying object in the books, is instead a third party neutral to both sides, almost like a referee in gold clothes. Seekers have to try to catch the Snitch’s tail in order to win the game.

The SFU team competes with other teams, including other university teams such as UBC and UVic, the regional teams in Edmonton and Calgary, and the Vancouver local team. They also sent players to join the Calgary Mavericks during the national championship, where they came in second overall.

The game is an amalgam of elements from a number of games – handball, dodgeball, football, track and field, soccer, rugby, and basketball. It’s a fully co-ed game, which has huge appeal. The team has open practices, meaning that if someone shows dedication, Ross is willing to train them; and the team is always looking for new recruits.

According to Ross, there is a lot of traction for quidditch in Vancouver. People want a team sport without the pressure, to play a game that they love without being yelled at for every mistake, especially if they’ve been burned by such behaviour in the past. quidditch is attractive because it’s a fun and open community, a game where you get out what you put in, and “it’s easy to create that open, friendly atmosphere at SFU Quidditch.”

Ross joined the team because they came to SFU as a huge Harry Potter fan, someone who stood in midnight release lines for the books. They comment that SFU can be socially isolated, and classes don’t do much to help alleviate that. The team at SFU Quidditch is very tight, and even when Ross isn’t feeling the game, it’s the sense of community and friendship on the team that makes them want to go.

People don’t come to quidditch because they’re a great athlete and they’ve been playing the game their whole lives. “People come because they’re looking for something dumb and fun to define their university experience,” said Ross.

SFU Quidditch can be found on Facebook here and on Twitter here. Their website can be found here. 

The inaccuracies in medical shows make for good TV, but its ability to misinform is a frustrating cost

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Peak Web
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Photo courtesy of ABC

Written by: Ashley Baryer, SFU Student

We live in the day and age of hypochondriacs, WebMD self-educated “doctors,” and self-diagnosis. It is no surprise that medicine-based television has skyrocketed in popularity; Grey’s Anatomy enters its fifteenth season at the end of this month. Medical shows have only expanded in volume, from TLC reality show Dr. Pimple Popper to the more fictitious and comedic Scrubs.

Aside from shock value, a lot of these shows share a general dramatization of every possible event. The makers of shows like Grey’s Anatomy defend their accuracy by stating thatn scripts are written with physician help to assure authenticity. While there’s some authenticity in the practice of certain procedures, and surgeries, the overall show is riddled with inaccuracies.

Television shows like Grey’s Anatomy, The Resident, and Scrubs feed on drama and comedy. These portrayals are what remove the reality from the show. Instead of following realistic hospital procedure and structure, residents and interns ignore the chain of command. Instead, hospitals and medical offices are presented as if personal relationships run the hierarchy — something that would never occur in a real hospital.

Despite the chaotic personal lives of on-screen doctors, the worst inaccuracies of the show come from diagnosis. Here is where the real problems begin. Given that we live in a society with information so readily available at our fingertips, a deep fear of the unknown and a desire to constantly solve problems alone, the inaccuracy of diagnosing patients on television can cause a lot of misinterpretations.

It’s certainly bizarre to think of medical shows as a source of medical knowledge. But medical dramas like Grey’s Anatomy are a lot of people’s first exposure to medical possibilities. For example, if you feel unwell, you don’t immediately see a doctor, you typically wait a day to see if it clears up. If you can’t afford the time to see one, then you’re left to your own devices to stew in the information you have available to you.

Shows like Grey’s Anatomy feed on hypochondriacs and those who seek to self-diagnose by finding life-threatening medical mysteries in everyday symptoms. A headache becomes a brain tumor with no other signifiers but mood swings; suddenly being moody with headaches is warning of an inoperable tumor. The dramatization of symptoms encourages viewers to dramatize their own symptoms or in the case of self-diagnosing — leads viewers to mismatch their symptoms with the patients in the show.

Does this make medical comedies and dramas horrible? Certainly not. Shows like Grey’s Anatomy need certain inaccuracies to foster drama for entertainment value, adding to the tension and fun. Without these discrepancies, shows like Grey’s Anatomy, The Resident, and Scrubs would not have gained popularity. But these flaws are significant, and it shouldn’t be taken for granted just how problematic their presentation of science can be. People are free to enjoy these shows, but ultimately need to think of them as the fantasy that they are.

What Grinds Our Gears: SFU Mail

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Peak Web
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Image courtesy of Outlook / Microsoft

Written by: Zach Siddiqui, Copy Editor

I appreciate the attempts to keep SFU platforms up-to-date and relevant, and SFU Mail is really cool in some ways, but I really don’t know why we needed it. With SFU Connect, I wasn’t completely satisfied, but I was at least content. Our mailing client knew what it was about, and it stayed in its lane as serviceable milquetoast.

But SFU Mail, summoned forth because (tl;dr version) too many professors got flirty with Microsoft Outlook, is a little prettier than its predecessor yet overall somewhat annoying. I keep running into mild login problems, and when I google SFU Mail, the login page isn’t the first hit the way it was with SFU Connect. Also, the name is less creative . . . maybe we should calling our sports teams the “SFU Players” (which, by the way, would still be a better name than SFU Clan).

SFU Mail should have been to SFU Connect as Charizard is to Dragonite in the “before versus after she contours” meme. Regretfully, SFU Mail is more akin to Handsome Squidward — called by a word traditionally denoting attractiveness, but in fact conspicuously disturbing in face. It is like a Picasso-painted landscape borne from the love affair of two other Picasso-painted landscapes who, like Melissa Hastings and Jason DiLaurentis of Pretty Little Liars, hooked up without knowing they were secretly half-siblings and not just awkward next-door neighbours.

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Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

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© The Peak Publications Society

Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

For advertising inquiries: [email protected]
For promotional inquiries: [email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society